All's Well That Ends Well... Sort Of

When I first started writing reviews for this site in the Summer of 2003, Saturday Night Live was in a much different shape than it is now. The show was still reeling from the departure of all-time great Will Ferrell, and sketches would often be dominated by the shaky professionalism of Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz. Year 28 was not without its moments, but you never got the sense that there was any type of leadership in the cast, no connecting presence that brought everything together. Year 29, my first full season of writing reviews, was bogged with similar issues. By that point, the producers were trying to mix things up, most notably by having musicians host; where Justin Timberlake paid off in spades, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, and Snoop Dogg were in retrospect curious misfires.Fast forward to 2009. The sacred comedy institution is back on an upswing, dishing out pointed topical satire while regaining its critical buzz and Emmy mojo. A fresh generation of stars, led by Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Andy Samberg, has ushered in a new dynamic to SNL that made people quickly forgot how tired the post-Ferrell years really were. That 18-year-old goofball is now a 25-year-old man, and after analyzing SNL's slow return to glory one live broadcast at a time, it's time for me to step down. As much as I'd love to keep doing this, I just don't have the time anymore. I have a life outside of this web site, and something had to give. I bear no resemblance to the boy I was 6 ½ years ago in the same way TV.com is no mirror image of the old TV Tome.Nevertheless, I owe you all one last review in the traditional sense. If my first review ever was a season finale, why not make my last review a season premiere? Though I will critique next Thursday's prime time special, it'll be a quick, four-paragraph review of what is essentially a bite-size taste of your favorite show. This week's host is Megan Fox, the very attractive albeit somewhat wooden movie actress best known for her role in the "Transformers" series. The musical guest is U2, the ageless Irish rock legends who previously tore the roof off this dump in Seasons 26 and 30.And now, one more sketch-by-sketch analysis for the road:COLD OPENING: Live on C-SPAN, Libyan despot Mohumar Kaddafi (FA) takes the blame for his long, rambling, anti-American speech at the United Nations this week. Apparently, everything that led up to the speech was pure Murphy's Law; he had jetlag from the six-hour time difference, he travels with a giant tent that nobody would let him pitch, he couldn't get a hotel room in the swamps of New Jersey, he was distracted by the in-flight movie, and so on and so forth. It's lightweight but it works; he doesn't apologize for the message yet he expresses regret for how it was executed. If this sketch was performed 25 years ago, when Kaddafi still had a morsel of clout, I doubt it ever would've made it to air.OPENING CREDITS: The party backdrop of the past three seasons is eschewed for a breezy wander through the city, a la Season 29's intro. Two nitpicks, though: first off, didn't Don Pardo retire? Secondly, I thought Darrell was coming back…MONOLOGUE: Megan takes the time to address the barrage of Photoshopped nude photos of her that keep popping up online. Oddly enough, she's convinced that she posed for all of them, no matter how shoddy the pic might be. One pervert (BM) even convinces Meg to autograph his own chop job, a sight gag that's hard to explain here."Bladdivon": In the proud tradition of "Urigrow," an ad parody that spends more time analyzing the joy of urination than most of us would like to know. At least the execution is discreet; Bladdivon is a pill that remedies Shy Bladder Syndrome, or the tendency to hold it in during an awkward social situation. Jason is on smug autopilot as the spokesman, though Will and Fred's facial expressions are damn near priceless."Flight Attendants": While flying to Hawaii, two aloof stewardesses (KW, Fox) treat an emergency landing in the ocean like a minor inconvenience. I can't complain about the goofy banter between Kristen and Megan, or the stunned reactions of Andy and Abby's passengers/straight men, but it felt like this sketch was missing something. Maybe they could've shown actual turbulence? It's not too expensive to find decent hydraulics nowadays."Russian Brides": An American (WF) with lowered standards is torn between two potential loves: a stunning beauty (Fox) and an ugly sociopath (FA). The gag is that something like this would be a no-brainer, but the heroin-addicted butterface is ten dollars cheaper than the virginal vixen. Apparently, not having a real ending for the sketch is considered a major twist.DIGITAL SHORT: The setup is oddly familiar: a kind, awkward man (WF) is having a rooftop dinner with a woman so attractive (Fox) that he probably doesn't deserve her. From there, it gets pretty weird; turns out the simpleton is a SWAT commander who blew off a drug bust to be here, and that he raises –and kills- lambs for meat and profit. This went right over my head."Grady Wilson's Burning Up the Bedsheets": Self-proclaimed lovemaking expert Wilson (KT) drops by to promote his latest DVD, in which he continues to bounce around in his underwear down in the basement. He even hires a hooker (Fox) via an ad in the Penny Saver to emphasize that love is for two people, and not just a fat old man in his jockey shorts. Nothing new is brought to the table, though this might make good filler on Kenan's Best-of DVD a couple years down the road.MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: "Breathe" is a haunting, spacey number enhanced by The Edge's fuzzbox guitar and a giant, static-addled TV screen in the background.WEEKEND UPDATE: Kaddafi is the Jon Gosselin of the Middle East? Zing! In what might've been Seth's strongest solo effort yet, the cocky nor'easter had a hit-to-miss ratio of maybe 4:1. Even the guest commentaries connected; Jean K. Jean (KT) was not as excruciating as usual in poking of the G20 Summit, and Judy Grimes' (KW) latest on-screen case of the jitters was enhanced by a hastily-made chart."Live Lounge": A send-up of those ubiquitous late night TV ads, featuring the hot girl (Fox) with the cordless phone and torn jeans forcing herself to pretend it's 2009. She gives the usual list of people that could be calling up a singles hotline –affable young singles looking for a match- before explaining who really calls (masturbators, pranksters, clueless foreigners). An easy target, but too right on the money to easily dismiss.MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: The balled "Moment of Surrender" is paint-by-numbers U2, a song that puts all four members of the band in a position and that they're quite accustomed to. Could somebody tell Bono to stop name-dropping the show? We're all aware of the fact that we're not watching "Metal Mania" on VH1 Classic."Biker Chick Chat": A talk show parody about the hard-livin' broads you'd normally find at roadhouses, trailer parks, and methadone clinics. At long last, Jenny Slate makes her first sketch appearance with dialogue, and… she drops the F-bomb! How auspicious is that? Though watching Megan play a biker slut on the mend was amusing, three minutes of actual plot was spread to its breaking point. The nucleus for a memorable recurring sketch is there, profanity or not, but I never got the sense that this was a final draft.DIGITAL SHORT: After a date, Andy is mystified by Megan's roommate (BM), a bathrobe-clad slacker in an Optimus Prime mask. Drawers-dropping and the inevitable mistaken-identity wackiness ensues. This was by far the stronger of tonight's two filmed pieces, if only because it dared to take Megan's public persona to a whole new tangent; would you ever assume that she was a vapid, clueless starlet with good looks and nothing between the ears?"Your Mom Talks to Megan Fox While You Get Ready": The title says it all: one of the hottest women in Hollywood makes small talk with a clueless Midwestern Mom (KW). I wouldn't mind seeing Wiigy playing more maternal types, though I can hope that next time they'll give her better material to work with.MUSICAL PERFORMANCE: During the goodnights, Bono and a glowing red periscope-microscope thingy entrance the audience to the tune of "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)."As many of us expected, Megan played the same character in nearly every sketch; her unsuccessful stab at playing a stewardess with a vaguely Kentuckian accent was her only reach of the evening. Regardless of whether you've heard their new album or not, U2 was a somewhat mystifying musical guest. I expected the same theatrics that made their first two appearances so memorable, not Bono rapping next to an overzealous fog machine. It was an uneven broadcast, on par with most of the recent season premieres (Michael Phelps notwithstanding), yet there was more that I liked than disliked.On that note, I can't begin to describe what an honor it has been to share my thoughts with you on SNL, one sketch at a time, for the past 6 ½ years. Of course, this is by no means goodbye; I will continue to blog about SNL, edit and maintain the episode guide, and moderate the fan forum right here at TV.com. Thank you for reading and commenting, and I certainly hope you give the other resident critics here the same appreciation that you've given me. Goodnight, everybody!Sketches/Segments That Will Probably Be Removed in the 60-Minute Edit… If We Ever See One Again: the first Digital Short, "Moment of Surrender," "Biker Chick Chat," and "Your Mom Talks To Megan Fox."This Thursday: Weekend Update Thursday #6… or #3 for the season, but hey, who's counting?Next Week: Ryan Reynolds of "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place" fame hosts with musical guest Lady Gaga.Questions or comments for Stu? Feel free to send him a PM or e-mail Stu at sma17kc@aim.com.moreless

Holy FROG!!

Megan Fox from Transformers and Jennifers Body was the Host for the 1st show of the shows 35th season. Can She Act? You decide:

UN Assembly

I Didn't get it and found it kinda boring. Sorry, Fred isn't my favorite cast member.

Megan Fox's Monologue

The joke was pretty good and I give her credit for making fun of herself unlike some hosts.

Bladdivan

I Guess People like Urine Jokes?Scary FlightA Joke without a Punch LineRussian BridesFrog Fred Armisen and Will Forte. Will, You showed the world you can be stupid and drag a 30 second sketch to 5-6 minutes.The DateLook at my Russian Brides Review and take out Fred ArmisenBurning Up the BedsheetsYawnJean K Jean & Judy GrimesYawn x 2Live LoungePretty FunnyBiker Chick ChatJenny Slate Said the F Word. Big Deal.Megan's RoommateANOTHER Pointless Digital Short.Your Mom talks to Megan Fox while you get ReadyUNFUNNY But I Blame Kristen and the Writersmoreless

Man, some of these skits were just flat out awful.. And next week doesn't hold much promise either.

Megan Fox did better than I thought.. a little better, but for the most part, these skits were just bad. I liked the monologue though.. nothing over the top and seeing U2 photoshopped over naked bodies was worth a laugh, and Bladdivan made me laugh too, but after that...

It felt like there was barely anything to laugh at.. even the Digital Shorts, which are usually strong, weren't as good as usual. Megan's Roommate was definitely, hands down, better than The Date, but they both were sort of weak.In between was a bunch of mediocre skit with only a few laughs.. the whole Monk ordeal in the plane skit was good, but to be honest, there was nothing worth remembering. I didn't mind U2's performance, but this isn't a music show.. it's a comedy sketch show and this wasn't the best premiere at all.moreless

Terrible, just terrible

Wow, that was terrible. Seth is finally delivering the jokes on the News but the entire show was just hard to watch, I thank whoever invented the DVR because I could skip the terrible U2 crap and most of those "too long" sketches. The Grady thing was funny and some of the second Digital Short was funny but this entire show was dreadful. What happened with the Digital shorts anyway? They used to be silly but these were long and boring. Megan Fox is really pretty but she has no comedic talent and she seems quite vapid in this show. SNL could go away if they don't prepare a better show.moreless

Hit or miss.

Megan Fox/U2, - SNL kicks off its 35 on air with host Megan Fox and with musical guest U2. Fox isnt known for being a "good actress" so hearing that she is hosting but surprise somebody. Keep an open mind and you might like what she does with this episode. U2 is always a good musical guest, with Bono always doing something they werent planning. (Stars are out of 5 *****)The cold opening has Fred as Moammar Gadhafi, an African leader who came over to speak at the G20 summit thing meeting in PA. The real guy i know talked for a long time at the real meeting, so i guess the target of the sketch was him going over the place with his rambling that went nowhere not even into his tent. I was on the fence with this one, it was funny in some parts but fell flat on others. I'd skip this sketch, it's has more bad parts than good. I give this * star, because Fred gets his second opening by himself.Montage: The show gets a new intro, the last time they had a new one was in year 32. Changed is good i like the bright colors and the sence that the cast actually is taking some part of New York. Surprise being no Darrell, the first time in 15 years i can say he is not in the cast. Pardo is still here, after he said he was retiring for good this time, i guess he changed his mind. But he didnt kill Nasim's name.Monologue: Fox talks about nude pictures of herself on the internet. "Thinking" everything on the web is true she "belives" the pics are real. Bobby comes on the stage for her to sign a pic of her as nude horse. Overall i liked this monologue, it was short and to the point of what Fox wanted to get across and funny. I give it *** Bladdivan: A commerical parody about a pill that makes a guy pee when he gets nervous to pee. Making you pee without control and not caring that your peeing. Some funny bits but this felt like this commerical had been done already. I give this a **.Flight Attendants sketch: Wiig and Fox act as attendants on a flight, making the passengers nervous while the ramble on about crashing into the ocean and a name. This sketch was actually funny, it's worth a watch. It was nice to see that Fox could play of Wiig's character. I give this ***1/2Russian Mail Order Bride: A sketch where a guy (Forte) goes to Russia to buy a wife. The pretty one (Fox, did you see that coming? and the ugly one: Fred who happens to be $10 cheaper) The sketch drags on Forte not knowing who to pick. I'd skip this one, even though Fred as the ugly one is funny. I give this a *1/2SNL Digital Short 1: Forte and Fox go on a date. That's mostly it but as it turns out he is a swat leader who was supposed to do a drug bust but gave it up to go on a date with Fox but to pass her plea for marriage. I'd watch this one it's a hit or miss depending on how you see the humor. I give a **Grady Wilson´s Put the Fire Back in your Marriage Techniques: Kenan brings back his character that actually killed in a episode last season. This time he does the same thing with the only change is that Fox is his partner in crime. I hate to say this but this was actually funny. I'd watch this, i give this a ***1/2U2 comes on and sings a song i have never heard of or will ever listen to. I was planning on seeing I'll go crazy... but i was let down will this dull performence. 1/2 for atleast showing up.Weekend Update: The strong part of the show, was more or less a let down. Seth did good but it was Wiig and Kenan that brought it way down with there annoying characters that were funny the first time but not since. Atleast Wiig tried to changed it up with a travel advice...just kidding. **Live Lounge: A live chat phone service hosted by Fox but be warned you wont get her. This has been down before, in the Paris Hilton episode. But since that episode was so bad i guess the writers didnt plan that anybody would notice. However this was still funny and worth a watch. **1/2U2 performs another dull song.Biker Chick Chat: One of new girls gets a sketch that is put on her shoulders to carry. However the sketch starts to die after Slate throws out F)ck and Fox cant help since a bike fell on her. This sketch fell flat and was carried by and only by Wiig. I give this a * but i'd watch and make the sketch a game of trying to find the f word. Friggin doesnt count.SNL Digital Short 2: This time around Fox invited over to her place to watch a movie. Andy finds out that Optimus Prime is her "room mate". The short was better than the first but it was still an out there sketch. I give it a **1/2, if you want to watch be warned.Your Mom Talks to Megan Fox While You Get Ready: Wiig places a mother who talks to Megan Fox while her daughter get's ready. That's it. *, pass this. Goodnights: Megan thanks the cast and crew for allowing her to host while Slate holds on to Seth. Then U2 starts up there third song with a flying red micro phone for Bono to fly on. :?I gave this episode a 7.0 because there was some good in this episode. You just have to search for it. I dont plan to see Megan to host again she didnt seem to want to break out of that "i can act i am just not going to show it" mood. U2 was the biggest upset of the night. The new girls where put to the side as a remind of Mike and Casey, Slate gave us a reason to remember her by, Nasim not so much. Overall Wiig turned out to be the one to carry this show like she usually does.Next week is another thursday show and on saturday is Ryan Reynolds / Lady Gaga. Make sure to disinfect your tv after saturday's show.moreless

Sketches cut after dress rehearsal: a spokesman (Jason Sudiekis) introduces a new pet food made completely of garbage; after a man (Bill Hader) dies, he continues to wake up and make bizarre noises; a director (Will Forte) instructs an actress (Megan Fox) to continue to slap an actor (Andy Samberg); on Weekend Update, Jason Sudiekis does a commentary on John and Mackenzie Phillips, and Orly Tate (Jenny Slate) does a commentary on the UN.

During the "Biker Chick Chat" sketch, Jenny Slate accidentally utters the F-word when she meant to say "frickin'." The profanity was edited out when the broadcast aired in the Pacific and Mountain Time Zones.

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